Murray sees environmental work of tribe

When she first ran for U.S. Senate in 1992, Patty Murray described herself as a mom in tennis shoes."

Her newest pair of New Balance footwear came in handy when the six-term senator, who serves as Senate president pro tempore, hiked revered Lone Tree Point and the beach area below the Thousand Trails La Conner RV Resort on Monday.

Sen. Murray spent an hour touring and receiving updates on collaborative marine environmental protection projects undertaken locally by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Skagit Marine Resources Committee and Northwest Straits Initiative.

Their most recent collaboration was the removal last month of a derelict 65-foot sailboat that had been abandoned and submerged in the Similk Bay tidelands north of Kukutali Preserve on Swinomish Reservation.

Murray, chair of the Appropriations Committee, led the authorization of the Northwest Straits marine conservation group in 1998 and has

repeatedly secured vital funding for it since.

Murray was introduced to the Skagit MRC Kids on the Beach, Salish Sea Stewards, Swinomish Clam Gardens and Olympia Oysters restoration projects, among other ongoing programs designed to protect and enhance local waters.

She also learned about the historic significance of Lone Tree Point to Swinomish tribal members.

"We can't thank you enough for being here," Swinomish Tribal Senate Chairman Steve Edwards told Murray. "We're blessed and honored to have you here at this sacred place."

"To have her visit such a sacred site," Edwards said afterward, "we're honored and blessed to have her see these relationships in place and how we're able to work together."

Moments before, Murray walked down from Lone Tree Point to the shoreline to watch Swinomish youth collect data and test water quality on Skagit Bay.

Jen Willup, who teaches the Between Two Worlds indigenous science curriculum at La Conner Schools, said students benefit immeasurably from such "hands-on activities on their traditional homelands."

Swinomish Senator and Vice-Chair Alana Quintasket outlined for Murray progress being made on the clam gardens, which are adaptable to sea-level rise, and the Olympia oyster project.

"The clam gardens work is an incredible project that I'm very passionate about," Quintasket said. "We have a responsibility to sustain the clams. I'm really proud of that project. It's looking beautiful. The beach is taking to it well. It's part of carrying on our culture for many years to come."

She said Swinomish is working closely with MRC on the Olympia oyster restoration.

"Oysters," she said, "are a significant part of our diet."

Edwards told Murray that the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is committed to both short-term and long-range marine environmental protection programs.

"We have to prepare to protect the next seven generations," Edwards said.

Todd Mitchell, director of the Swinomish Environmental Protection Department, echoed Edwards in referring to Lone Tree Point as a "sacred monument," a cherished gathering place where one can see where the land meets the sea.

"The question is how do we best monitor and protect this area," Mitchell said. "All the work we can do at Swinomish with our partners at MRC is where restoration can happen."

Murray, who listened intently and rarely spoke during the tour, did get the last word, however, before departing for her next scheduled stop.

"It's really great to see what's happening on this beach," she said, "and that it's going to be here for well into the future.

"Washington's waterways and coastline are absolutely vital to our state's economy, culture and way of life," she said, "and places like Lone Tree Point carry special significance to tribes, including the Swinomish people."